MrFancyMan can now be found on the menus at Blue Sky Coffee in Fairborn and midDay in Dayton. His products are available seasonally at the Oakwood Farmers Market and Peifer Orchards in Yellow Springs.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
A love for Saturday farmers markets
Crosson-Hill was buying a CSA from Rice Family Harvest and would go to the Oakwood Farmers Market to buy extra produce of what he really liked each week.
He recalled talking in line with customers about the different ways to use and prepare certain things when Doug had asked if he could help out.
“I went to work just for fun,” Crosson-Hill said. “It just kept going until (Doug) retired last year.”
Towards the end of the 2024 market season, Crosson-Hill started introducing their customers to his baked goods.
From cookies to bread
Crosson-Hill has always has a passion for baking and cooking.
“I baked my first batch of cookies out of my mom’s old red and white Better Homes & Gardens binder that she got as a wedding present,” Crosson-Hill said. “I got that out when I was about 8 years old and decided I wanted peanut butter cookies while she was taking a nap one day after work.”
After successfully making those cookies, he started baking for family and friends.
Crosson-Hill recalled getting “fed up” with some of the breads at the grocery store that had a huge ingredient list, so much so that he started baking his own yeast breads.
During Covid, he learned about sourdough and developed his own recipes.
Break bread, build community
His first sale was at Peifer Orchards where he started supplying them with a sour cherry and rosemary sourdough focaccia made with sour cherries that the orchard gets every season from another Ohio orchard.
“I want everything to be as connected to the community,” Crosson-Hill said. “My motto has been, “break bread, build community.””
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
His relationship with Peifer Orchards has since grown. He now uses their apples to make his signature apple, ginger, and thyme focaccia.
Other products he offers includes a classic olive oil focaccia, garlicy herb focaccia, English muffins, sourdough swirls, every day sandwich and toaster bread and sesame sourdough crackers.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
At Blue Sky, customers can expect MrFancyMan’s crackers served with hummus, an English muffin breakfast sandwich and sourdough swirls.
MidDay uses MrFancyMan’s products on five of it’s sandwiches including a specialty focaccia that can be served as a morning bread with butter.
“It’s been quite a ride so far,” Crosson-Hill said.
The craft of breadmaking
Besides supporting local, Crosson-Hill said he sources as many organic ingredients as possible.
Everything he makes is made with a sourdough starter. He mixes the starter with water and dry ingredients to make the dough.
“This is a very high hydration dough, so it does take a little extra time to build the gluten in that environment,” Crosson-Hill said.
When he starts working the dough, he mostly uses the more casual coil fold style.
If he builds a starter on a Tuesday night, he then makes the dough the next day and bakes it on Thursday night. He encourages those that want Friday pickup, to order by Tuesday.
Crosson-Hill’s favorite part of selling his baked goods is seeing the reaction of his customers.
“I love the way people look at the products when they handle them,” Crosson-Hill said. “It softens even the toughest people.”
A passion for baking and cooking
Crosson-Hill is originally from northeast Columbus. In his teenage years, his family moved to Grove City.
After working in the retail and restaurant industry for nearly two decades, he has been a homemaker for the last 15 years.
He and his spouse moved to the Dayton region in 2010.
The name of the business is his way of “taking back” all of the names he has been called for his passion of baking, cooking and many other aspects of himself.
“With it, I reclaim my power and heartfelt drive for my hobbies and skills which I use to create those products.”
Crosson-Hill is “excited to see where this goes.”
MORE DETAILS
MrFancyMan’s next pop-up will be at Handmade Dayton’s Second Sundays Market from noon to 3 p.m. April 13 at the Wandering Griffin, located at 3725 Presidential Drive in Beavercreek.
The Oakwood Farmers Market typically runs from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays starting in June. Peifer Orchards will reopen for the season around that same time.
Crosson-Hill offers an email list for customers interested in ordering from a weekly menu that’s sent out on Tuesdays.
For more information, visit mrfancyman.com or the business’s Instagram page (@mrfancymanbakes).
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